Dead Eyes
by Higanbana
Summary: Slightly AU. After Chuunin Exam. Kinda dark about Hinata when she is really depressed after a lot of stuff happened to her. Not good at summaries, but read the story It's MUCH better than my summary. P.SPlease email me if you can think of a better titl
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, so leave me alone. I only own the plot.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

My eyes are icy and my face is coldly blank. I watch coolly as I slash my kunai across the man's throat. He writhes in agony for a few seconds as blood gushes forth before he stills, dead. The room is gruesome, the coppery aroma of blood drifting in the air. The body of the man and his four shinobi guards lay splayed on the floor, their blood painting the walls a bright scarlet. I didn't need to bother being careful as I would burn the mansion, and the bodies inside, once I was done. 

I open the door of the study and step into a lavish marble hall. The sight of the beautiful and grand hall would awe most people. Unfortunately, I wasn't most people, and the surroundings fail to evoke anything within me. I walk down a few steps and stop in front of a pair of carved, oak doors, the light shining off of their burnished surface. Pulling the door open, I see my other targets, the man's wife and his son.

The woman must have fallen asleep while reading to the four year old child and her head is on his bed, a storybook on the floor near her feet. As I advance, the woman awakes and makes to sit up, blinking blearily around the room. I shoot forward and plunge the katana through her swollen stomach while dragging the kunai across her neck. She is dead before she even realizes anything was happening.

Her son sits up screaming, awoken by his mother's body falling onto him. I quickly stab him. I watch with a detached interest as his innocent eyes fade in death.

I leave the room and return to the study, where I easily find the man's hidden safe, which is even easier to break into. I grab the papers inside and throw them into the fireplace. "Mission accomplished," I whisper softly.

As I walk down the street, away from the house, a thunderous roar echoes down the street as the lavish mansion in consumed in flames. I linger long enough to make sure the evidence us destroyed before jumping into a tree and vanishing into the night.

~*~

I return to Konoha and hand my report in to Tsunade-sama. She accepts the report and informs me that the money will be in my account in a few days, nothing new. 

I return to my chambers and change out of the bloodstained clothes. Examining myself, I see that my clothes are covered with blood. Must be from when I stabbed the woman's stomach. I feel a very slight annoyance, which is probably one of the most extreme emotions I have felt in a long time, almost half a year.

I shove my clothes under the bed to get rid of when my guardian isn't around. My missions were an absolute secret; only Tsunade and myself knew, although I think some of her close advisors know that she has a secret shinobi doing high class missions. As long as no one leaked the news, I really didn't care.

I crawl in between the covers, removing the pillows and clothes that form a vaguely human shape. I don't sleep, just stare at the ceiling, not thinking of anything.

Listening, I can hear sensei still asleep, although her breathing has become lighter and she will probably wake soon. The sun slowly illuminates the room, revealing the lavender bedclothes and white walls. My room is bare except for my bed and my dresser. The dresser is clear, nothing cluttering the top, nothing sticking out of the closed drawers.

I rise from my bed when I hear Kurenai-sensei get out of bed and shuffle down the hall to the bathroom. Hearing her curse as she stumbles, I almost smile. Almost. I don't know if I am even capable of smiling anymore, and I really do not care to find out. 

She washes her face and creeps quietly to my door and cracks it open slightly. She peers in tentatively and, seeing me awake, smiles at me nervously. I merely stare at her until she ducks out the door again.

A few months ago I would have smiled in return and chirped a few words of greeting. My poor, pathetic hopeful self of old. I would be ashamed of myself if I could. I no longer bother exchanging meaningless things with her anymore; there is nothing between us.

Her smile is meaningless too. It does not come close to masking the uncertainty and slight fear in her eyes. Kurenai-sensei always becomes like that whenever she looks into my cold, dead eyes.

Yes, my teacher and guardian feared me. She was afraid of what I could do, because she knew that I was dead inside. And dead people cannot feel things, such as remorse or guilt for hurting or killing others. She could see that I could murder in cold blood without a second thought and that I could do so without twitching or feeling anything. She was scared because I could kill her, the person who had saved me from a life of damnation, without spilling a tear for her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Okay, I know it's kinda weird but it's just the prologue. I should probably work on my other fics, but I wanted to get this idea down before it disappeared. Expect updates after a _very _longtime (every few months, sorry). I'm in a new house and school and my mom doesn't like me on the computer for more than an hour. Review please, if you want me to continue. If no one likes this, I'm not gonna continue.

****

*Star Lily*

P.S- Please e-mail me if you can think of a better title because mine sucks. Not really good at naming things.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I only own the plot, so please ask if you want to use any portion of my fic.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A little bit after Tsunade comes. Sasuke didn't fight with Naruto or leave with the Sound-nins:

"Sakura!! Wait up!!" The kunoichi turned to see the bane of her existence barreling down the street, screaming at the top of his lungs. Passersby turned to stare at the pink haired girl.

"Shhhh, Naruto, be quiet." Sakura tried to ignore the stares of the people. Naruto reached the embarrassed girl.

"Thanks for waiting!" he said cheerily.

"I only waited so you would shut up." As usual, Sakura's words did little to dampen the spirit of the boy. "Anyway, you're late. Sasuke already left to meet the others 10 minutes ago. You're getting as bad as Kakashi-sensei!"

"What?! He already left without us?! They're gonna finish their ramen before we get there." Naruto grabbed Sakura's wrist and dragged her down the street towards the ramen stand.

~*~

'I've got to hurry,' Hinata thought. 'They might have finished already.' The girl was on her way to the ramen stand instead of to her house. 'I know I'm supposed to meet father to hear the news but…Naruto.'

Earlier that day, the three teams had trained together in a survival game. Hinata had lost, but she had gotten to talk with Naruto for the whole afternoon. Seven genins and the one chuunin had agreed to eat dinner together at the ramen stand. Hinata had to decline because her presence was required at an important meeting with her father. She had been halfway home when she had changed her mind and decided to eat with Naruto instead. Besides, it wasn't like anything her father had to say would make her happier.

Hinata arrived at the ramen stand in time to see Shino, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto farther up the street, walking away from the stand.

'Oh no,' she thought in dismay, having missed her chance to eat with Naruto. She was going to run to catch up with them, but the evening rush was picking up and Hinata severely doubted that she could fight through the bustling crowd in time to catch up with the rapidly fading group.

'I'll meet them at the training grounds,' Hinata decided, remembering that Team 7 was supposed to train that night. It looked like Shino was going with them. She slipped through an alley and emerged in a little used side street. She ran through Konoha, desperately trying to reach the training ground before the group.

She finally glimpsed the clearing ahead of her and paused in the tree to get her breath back. A minute later, she heard the group walking towards her and the training ground. She was about to jump down and greet them but changed her mind. If she was there first, they might not want to disturb her. She would wait a few minutes before joining them. The four genins passed beneath her tree and continued to the clearing.

"Naruto, leave me alone!" Sakura shrieked in exasperation. Naruto compliments were getting on her nerves. "Why don't you chase after someone else, like Ino or something."

"But Sakura," he whined, "you're the best kunoichi. And the cutest."

"What the hell are you babbling about?" Sakura demanded. "Ino's skills are much better than mine." Inwardly, she swore that she was going to wash her mouth out as soon as she got home. But if she complimented Ino enough, maybe…

"No way; you're the best and the only one for me."

Damn. He was way too persistent. Sasuke looked on with his customary detached interest. Shino could have been doing anything from paying attention to the conversation to daydreaming for all they could tell. Suddenly, Sakura thought of something.

"Hey Naruto, what about-," she hesitated, "Hinata?"

In the tree above, Hinata drew a breath in sharply, almost choking. It took all of her will power to restrain from making a noise. She had to know what Naruto's reply was.

"Hinata…?" Naruto was quiet for a minute as her considered the quiet girl. "What about her?"

"Well, at the chuunin exam she…you fought Neji to avenge her didn't you?"

"Yeah well, that's 'cuz she was so strong, standing up to him. He shouldn't insult people like her, who tries their best no matter what!" Sakura was quiet as she pondered how to phrase the question.

"So do you…like her?" Sasuke's eyes sharpened immediately. He tried to catch Sakura's eyes, tried to tell her to stop. Shino seemed to have started at the question, although it could have just been the wind.

"Of course I like her," Naruto declared. "You can't not like her. Except for her crazy family." Naruto's voice dropped as he mumbled about the Hyuuga clan.

"I don't mean like as a friend. I mean," Sakura paused, "I mean do you like her like you like me." Hinata nearly fell out of the tree and Sasuke became more agitated. Shino turned to pay attention to the conversation.

"Ehhh…," Naruto looked flustered for a minute, being the focus of so many people. "Well, I like her as a friend, but she isn't even close to you, Sakura. She nice, but she's way too weird. I could never like someone as strange as her like that."

Hinata kept her sobs in check until she was sure they could not hear her. Then she blindly raced for her house, tears streaming from her eyes. She paused before reaching her house to wipe her tears and compose herself. She hugged herself until her shoulders stopped shaking and her throat unclogged. Naruto didn't like her, couldn't like her. She couldn't stop the occasional sob from bubbling up.

~*~

She entered her house much later. Her sobs had only subsided because she could not cry anymore. She dragged her weary body towards the hallway to her room.

"Hinata!" her father's sharp voice snapped her out of her hazy wanderings. "Get in here now!" He was mad, she could tell. And why wouldn't he be. He had a weird, strange girl for a daughter who didn't even obey her father. Normally, she would have been scared, but her body couldn't generate anymore emotions.

She entered the main room and gazed around dully. All of the family was gathered. In some obscure part of her head, she wondered how long they had been waiting. She seemed completely detached from her mind and didn't even flinch as her father added tardiness and disobedience to her already huge list of flaws.

Neji could see that Hiashi was uneasy of his daughter's unresponsiveness. By this time, Hinata would usually be close to tears, her father's words cutting her worse than a battle wound. Observing Hinata's glazed eyes and air of inanimation, Neji could understand Hiashi's uneasiness. However, Neji's worry was for Hinata's health. Something traumatic must have happened, to make her like this. Neji did not love his cousin, but he did have a grudging admiration for the persistent girl. Maybe later, he could love her, but for now he thought of her only as someone to whom he was indebted.

"Hinata, pay attention!" Hiashi snapped. He lifted his hand and slapped the girl across the face. Neji started forward, but was arrested by his mother's restraining arm. Hinata rose from the ground shakily and stood up. Her head remained bowed. The head of the Hyuuga seemed to contemplate striking the girl again. Evidently he decided not to, most likely out of uncertainty of Hinata's reaction. Hiashi cleared his throat.

"Hinata, you know that you have not met the expectations of a main branch member of the Hyuga. You have no strength, you cannot perform many of the Hyuga jutsus…" Hinata remained still, head down, while her father listed all of her shortcomings and failures. Neji watched uneasily as Hiashi's words grew steadily crueler. "You have failed the Hyuga House in your weakness!" Hiashi's voice had risen as he grew angrier and angrier at his eldest daughter. He had expected his tirade to elicit some reaction from the girl, tears or apologies or something. Instead of her usual reaction, Hinata stayed quiet, as though his words were falling upon deaf ears.

"Hinata!" Hiashi shouted. Nothing. He grabbed her shoulder and shook her frail body until she lifted her head. Hinata's colorless eyes rose to meet her father's. They maintained eye contact for a mere second before Hiashi abruptly thrust the girl away, nearly flinging her into a wall. She shakily stood, ignoring Neji's helping hand. Her cousin could not figure out if she ignored it from rejection or just because she was not aware of it.

"Hinata." Hiashi voice was calm and quiet, self-controlled again. "You do not possess any of the skills need to make the Hyuga successful. It has become clear to me and to the respected elders of our clan that to maintain the Hyuga, something must change." Hiashi paused, and Neji's face became a mask of horror as he realized what was happening. "Hanabi is more suited to the task, but as your younger sister, she must defer to you. In order for Hanabi to lead the Hyuga to success, you must be removed. You are useless and are formally disowned."

Hinata's swollen eyes widened, though her hair hid her downcast face and eyes from those in the room. Her father continued, "You are still a Hyuga, but you are no longer of the main family." At an imperceptible signal, three men entered the room. Neji recognized them, even after so many years.

"Run, Hinata!" he shouted. Hinata looked up, startled at the concern in his voice. "They're going to make you like me!" The girl stared at him, uncomprehending. Suddenly, her eyes flicked to his headband as she realized what was happening. The three men approached the girl slowly.

"Come now dear," one attempted reassuringly. "It'll hurt a little, but best get it over with now." Hinata backed up slowly. The three men advanced while her father looked on coldly. No one in the room made a move to help the girl. Everyone stared transfixed at the scene.

Hinata continued to retreat, finally showing signs of life as her eyes darted about, looking for a way to escape. A wall behind her and her father and the rest of the Hyuga in front of the two doorways. No way out. Her back bumped the wooden wall. Nowhere to run. She closed her eyes and silently cried. She braced herself as she heard wood knock against wood, preparing herself to be hauled away and a symbol carved into her forehead. She slowly cracked an eye open when nothing happened. She would have cried with relief if she had any tears left.

Shino, a livid Kurenai, and an out-of-breath Neji stood slightly behind the Hokage, who seemed to strongly dislike what she was seeing. "What is going on here?" Tsunade's voice echoed in the silent room. Hiashi straightened, gathering his aura of strength. Tsunade remained unfazed. "Well?"

"It is only a family matter," Hiashi replied stiffly. "There was no reason for you to concern yourself with the situation."

"Like hell there wasn't!" Hiashi glared at Neji. Kurenai glanced at Neji approvingly, supporting his outburst.

"Come, Hiashi. Let us discuss this with the Hyuga elders privately." Hiashi grudgingly nodded and motioned Tsunade and a few of the Hyuga to follow him.

Hinata remained still against the wall. There was a slight chance she was saved, but she did not want to hope and have her heart crushed for the third time that day. She numbly followed Neji as he gripped her elbow and led her outside. Shino trailed the two cousins, quietly shutting the door.

The group sat on a bench near a water pump. "How-" Hinata tried to conjure some moisture to her dry mouth. Shino silently handed her a cup of water, which she downed gratefully. "How did you get them so fast." She hesitated. "_Why_ did you get them?"

Neji was quiet as he tried to figure that out himself. "Because you're my cousin, and a strong person," he finally answered quietly. "Because you don't deserve that, no one deserves that, and to return the favor."

"What favor?"

"It's nothing," Neji said hastily, "forget it." Silence descended on the group. Surprisingly, the quiet Shino broke the silence.

"My insects track everyone I think concerns me, like my family. I know where all of them are at any time." Hinata's eyes widened as she realized what he was saying.

"Then, this afternoon-" she choked on a sob that bubbled up her throat. Shino's look confirmed her question. Tears welled in her eyes again as she hugged herself. Neji watched the whole exchange carefully. Something had happened to his cousin and it looked like her teammate knew exactly what it was. He had to find out what it was, what could have affected his cousin so badly. Hinata had never been like this, not even when her father and her sister had ignored her for a month after she had disgraced the family by losing to another clan.

"I left to get the Hokage to help, but I met them on the way. They were coming here. I think they knew something was going to happen to you," Neji said.

"My insects can't show me what they see, but they can tell me what is going on by evaluating the pheromones. This afternoon, your scent faded, as though you had died. You stayed that way until you got to your house. Anger increased from others in the room, but you stayed the same. Then, a little while ago, you felt pure terror, like I have never seen from anyone else. It was like you were scared you were about to die. I went to get Kurenai-sensei who happened to be with Tsunade-sama. Kurenai-sensei insisted that Tsunade-sama come with us, and then we met your cousin on the way here."

Hinata was quiet as she thought over what Shino had said and tried to suppress her sobs. "Kurenai-sensei wanted to Tsunade-sama to come?" Her voice was slightly cracked, but at least she did not sound like she was about to collapse and start sobbing.

Shino shrugged. "I think sensei had been worried about you for a while." Further conversation was halted when the three genins turned towards the house as the door slid open to reveal Kurenai, Tsunade, and Hiashi.

Tsunade spoke first. "We have just had a meeting to determine what should happen to you in the future. Your family has disowned you and determined to seal your chakra. In that position, you are under the dominion of all of the main family and they may do what they will, including kill you." Hinata's fists clenched.

"But you have another option," Kurenai said reassuringly. "It's your choice. If you remember, when you first became my trainee, I talked to you father. He said that he gave me leave to do what I wished. In a way, he put you under my guardianship, saying that he did not need you."

Tsunade announced the options. "You may stay a member of the Hyuga, demoted with your chakra sealed, or you may renounce the Hyuga name an be put under the guardianship of Kurenai Yuuhi."

~*~

Hinata lay curled in a fetal position in her new room. Her room was nice, a pale lavender with white trim. Hinata was safe, with someone who actually cared about her rather than her abilities. She had been saved from a cursed life, and instead thrust into a new situation, one that she had often envied of other children. She should have been happy; but she wasn't.

Her eyes were dry and she felt empty. The tears had stopped, but it still hurt. Her mind kept replaying words and scenes over and over: _I could never like someone as strange as her…You are useless…_It hurt so much. She was without anything now. No Naruto for hope, no chance to redeem herself to her family. She had nothing, was nothing, never would be anything. Nothing to live for or hope for.

Hinata turned and buried her face into the soft pillow, wishing that it was all a nightmare, that nothing had happened, that she had tried harder, that the pain would go away…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Next chapter still for the past, but after that, the story finally gets going. Please review and tell me what you think so far.

****

*Star Lily* 


End file.
